Thursday, April 27, 2017

The Best Laid Plans

Last week, I expected to have the blue
linen skirt and vest finished—Wouldn't that be nice?

I worked a bit Saturday morning (the
afternoon was spent at Flushing SOUP—a communal meal sponsored by
the Chamber of Commerce-that supports and encourages local non
profits groups.)

It was a wonderful meal—and a
wonderful day (if a bit damp) . Had a great day—even won a raffle
prize—too bad it was local home brews (I don't like or drink beer.) My daughter does--and made out well.

Home by eight pm. I was feeling sick by
nine, and in-bed, fevered (shivering!)by 10—Had a bad night, and
wasn't much better on Sunday.

Monday I felt better, but I needed two
naps to get through the day. Worked on the vest—and made a major
mistake with set in pocket... Plus I was having major problems with
skipped stitches and broken thread.

Tuesday I was out all day at the
DMV—another day lost.

Yesterday—I spend hours undoing the
mistake I made on Monday—and--making a second mistake. (much
smaller and easily able to resolve)--but still had problems—again
and again.

Every crafter has had the experience of
“doing things right” and having them come out wrong—and every
time, we blame ourselves... We knit and tink, and knit again and tink
again and spend hours blaming ourselves for things not working
out—Until we finally stop asking “what am I doing wrong?--and
start asking what is wrong.

In my case, I had changed the sewing
machine needle before I started the vest (and skirt) –as well as
making up 2 bobbins.

(I always make an extra bobbin
up—then I don't have to stop mid seam to make up a bobbin—but can
just switch bobbins (and then at some point –just (if needed) make
up another to have on hand. The blue skirt will have all of the seam
edges zig zagged over to finish—so I am sure to need a 3rd
bobbin.)

Normally I would blame skipped stitches
and broken threads on a old, dull needle—but I took the needle out
of sealed package (so it was a new needle!) and I just didn't expect
it to fail. But finally, I realized, it wasn't what I was doing
wrong—it was the needle.

It is not flared, (it is not flat)

By that point I was exhausted—So I
gave up for the night...

A bit more sewing today, and the end is
in sight—The out side is done, the lining is done, and the two have
been sew together, and now it is down to finishing.. a final press,
the side seams to sew, and then the buttonholes and buttons... Some
of this will be done this evening—Nothing will be done tomorrow
(which should, finally, be sun-shiny!) Since Friday is my day with
the girls--

I got a little tidying done yesterday,
and will get more done today (Laundry for one, including some
pre-washing some of the cottons planned for the next group of sewing
projects!) The print vest and 4 simple solid color skirts fabrics. I
have 2 more pieces of grey—very light (already prewashed) and
medium—that will also go with the vest,) And while I have not been
doing much knitting, I do have 5 50g skeins of silk sock wool—2
will become grey socks, 3 will become a scarf of some sort.

But first I need to finish the Vest,
and the matching solid skirt, and then, a mostly print skirt—trimmed
with the solid blue—And that is a lot of sewing planned! It
shouldn't take long if things go as planned.. but so far, nothing
has!